The actress has had a string of failed relationships, including her marriage to Brad Pitt and her romances with Vince Vaughn and John Mayer. She admits her love life has been difficult to deal with, but has now reached a point where she is happy, regardless of whether she is in a relationship or not.

"I feel better than I ever have," she said. "I understand who I am and what I want from life now. I`ve felt that way for a while now. It doesn`t happen in a flash, it`s more of a slow process of gaining wisdom. Then you reach a point where you realise that you`ve figured things out in a general way.

"So everything becomes easier and you look at life through this lens of greater self-awareness and knowing how to live more happily, enjoying everything more. Life becomes less of a struggle."

Despite her past disappointments, Jennifer is still hopeful she will find a husband and start a family in the next few years. She insists she is still "optimistic" when it comes to love, and will never turn into a romantic cynic.

"I`ve had some very wonderful experiences," she told British newspaper The Daily Mirror. "I hope I`ve reached a point where I`m ready to enjoy being with a great man and having a family together. That`s always been my dream."
sections: Celebrities